How can I enable a sound notification for incoming orders?

[PerksCoffee]

[The title of this thread has been edited from the original: Chowly Order Notifications]

I've gone all in Chowly to integrate our delivery services into our PoS. For the most part, I'm seeing good value here. However, there is 1 feature missing from Square that I consider tablestakes.

Since these integrate as "online orders", the integration merely displays a pop-up with NO SOUND notification or option to add sound. This is crippling for our delivery business. I need a way to make these order notifications audible so that employees KNOW an order came in and can tend to it.

Our integration is already setup to automatically print upon order but....this is not enough or even close. Ideally, the pop up notifies the employee whether they are at the terminal or not, when they accept, then the ticket prints.

This expectation that an employee is always at the terminal is not a real world scenario for many small businesses.

If I can't get some kind of audible notification for my employees, I'm going to have to back out of Chowly 100%. In fact, any integration to Square that utilizes this notification system is not going to work for us. Is this something that is available in Square for Rests. by chance?

Thanks.

[#2]

Hey @PerksCoffee ☕☕☕-

Thanks for posting in the Seller Community and surfacing this question! 

As of right now, Square for Restaurants and Square POS does not have a sound functionality for incoming orders, but it's something we're hoping to make available in the future. However, we do have an auto-print functionality so you wouldn't have to accept the orders prior to getting the ticket to print.

We also have an in-app notification functionality that will alert you regarding new orders. To update your preference for notifications and ticket printing from the app, open the navigation menu > Settings, and scroll down to Orders.

• Notification Settings: By default, notifications will be enabled — you can disable or adjust how often you’re notified of new orders. Choose to be notified every 5, 15, or 30 minutes.

• Printer Settings: Choose to either manually print tickets for new orders or automatically print new orders when they come in.

• Quick Actions: When you open the Order tab, you’ll see the master view of all orders. Quick Actions allow you to update the status of an order without opening the order details page.

To learn more about Square for Restaurants and orders specifically, please take a look at this article. I would also suggest reaching out to Chowly's Support Team to see if they have any insight on the limitation. I hope this helps! 😁

[JustinC]

Phone alerts for online orders is cool idea but Square doesn't offer that. Tagging your post so our Prod Team can see and start tracking if other sellers are looking for the same feature. 

@SCOTTPHUI

[octopuscoffee2]

Yes to phone alerts! Anything! Please make a noise! What about a dongle that has a strobe light on it? That would work also, kitchens are noisy and printers are pretty quiet. Those online tickets slide out silent, like sharks. I think we're comping at least 1 meal a week because we didn't start the order on time. 

[JustinC]

@octopuscoffee2 Noted ! Thanks for adding your vote! 

[octopuscoffee2]

Hi Justin,

Wondering if production has anything in the works for that notification issue? It's been 6 months of pretty heavy uptick in online orders, and with lockdowns likely to start again, online ordering will only be more heavy. 

I think it is fair to say Square is pretty delinquent in not having a better solution by now. The only thing I've seen changed because of the epidemic-times is they removed the dashboard which helped my staff 'see' the business and make good decisions. Also, for some reason, gross sales are often lower than net sales, I haven't even had time to begin wondering what data square is using for those numbers they took the bar graph away for-oh wait, they left the bar graph on the laptop version, which no crew sees ever, and left my crew with a bunch of senseless numbers.

So, now I have extra challenges for managing labor as they can't easily see if we're slower or busier than past performance. 

Square can do better. Please help us survive. 

[KingP]

If you order also send to Gmail, you can install 

Gmail Audio Alerts

to have sound when new email come in.

At lease you don't have to look at Ipad all the time.

You can create new email that only for Square Order.

Hope this Help

[JackieCardin1]

@KingP that is a great idea for people who have one location.  It should solve that problem.  However if you have multiple locations You can't set it up that way because the order notifications aren't separated by store.  😞

[Kelly0520]

What is taking Square so long to implement such a rudimentary feature?

Sound alerts for online orders should’ve been on the Square Register out-of-the-box, and I can’t believe it’s taking all year for a measly OTA update.

Further, the POS device is clearly capable of sound, so either the developers are seriously incompetent or someone is gatekeeping this much needed feature, and whomever it may be can **bleep** right off!

Maybe we’ll get it by Xmas 2020? Ha

[MicheleP]

We have not been receiving sound notifications or alerts for new incoming online orders.  I have the weebly app and my iPad is updated. I have all of the alerts enabled in my Notification Center. This was working up until about a week ago.  Anyone else having a problem like this? It has been very frustrating missing these orders as they come in.

[rumi]

Yes, we are also not hearing any sound for online orders. Everything is updated, sound is turned up, iPad is no asleep, app is on. Extremely frustrating.

[MicheleP]

It is very frustrating and I’m constantly checking my iPad. I think we should receive a refund this month for our website fees!!